Mad Max is not even the only road trip movie getting attention – with “The Martian” (OK, it’s a stretch) also in the running to win the coolest dashboard figurine ever, a golden statuette called Oscar.

“The Martian” was nominated in seven categories, including best picture and best actor. In it, Matt Damon plays a marooned astronaut who, after being left behind, eventually sets off across the planet’s desert surface to a destination from which he hopes to be rescued – the ultimate road trip.

Other car-crossed movies getting Oscar attention with the number of nominations are “Bridge of Spies” (six, including best picture) and “Straight Outta Compton” (one for best original screenplay).

Several others that would be nominated in the movies-with-cool-cars category if the Academy Awards had that are the James Bond movie “Spectre,” which earned one nomination for best original song, and “Furious 7,” which actually was the subject of grousing for NOT receiving a bid in the same category.

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